MOSSES. 183 



the curiously-cut foliage of this latter and of the 

 shining crane's-bill attract the eye, varied with the 

 fleshy coin-like leaves of the pretty navel-wort in 

 great abundance ; while, over all, arch and droop, in 

 the most gorgeous profusion, enormous tufts of that 

 most elegant fern, the hart's tongue, whose long 

 glossy fronds of richest green afford the best imita- 

 tion of those glories of the tropical forest, the Mu- 

 sacece ; an imitation on an humble scale, indeed, but 

 yet sufficient to recal with vivid recollection, to one 

 who has seen them, the appearance of those noble 

 leaves, as they break out of the dense mass of forest 

 foliage, and droop on either side of some narrow 

 bridle-path in the mountains of Jamaica. 



Nor less inviting is the soft and tender verdure of 

 the mosses. It is their season of rejoicing. In 



" The time of flowers, the summer's pride, " 



these frail beings wither and dry up ; but under the 

 fogs and rains of autumn, and the winds and frosts of 

 winter, they spring to new life and vigour. Kecover- 

 ing all their beauty, they spread in soft fleeces of 

 verdure, and shoot up their slender stalks, crowned, 

 as here, each with its tiny urn, and wearing its fairy 

 nightcap. Look at this flat stone, draped all over 

 with brilliant Bryum! Surety the fairies must be 

 here holding their " board of green cloth ;" only our 

 dull, prosaic eyes are not worthy of beholding them. 

 And see, everywhere around, on the stones, on the 

 summit of this ruined wall, on this decaying tree- 



